Tretakoff Musings
Friday, November 07, 2008
Happily Railroaded
Gizmodo points out that, in all of the other high profile CA state issues that went down to defeat, one victory was lost in the shuffle: Proposition 1A, which lays the groundwork for a bullet train between Southern and Northern California. I am a huge fan of any rail transit, but this one simply makes sense.
Kudos to the supporters for making this excellent video which dramatically demonstrates the allure, the benefits, and the real expectations for what could be a monumental day of change for rail travel in this country.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Yer All Wet
We may, as a society, disagree with many things, but there has been one truth we all seem to instinctively agree on: drinking lots of water is good for your health. However, as with all good maxims, it's occasionally important to test them for reality. And, according to the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, this wives' tale is all wet.
Turns out, drinking more water not only does not improve skin tone or reduce appetite, but actually can even be harmful, possibly causing kidney damage. The irony of this to me is not that yet another accepted truism has fallen by the wayside, but more that this was forecast by the most unlikely of prognosticators, Lewis Black. He of the waggling finger, and apoplectic screaming fits, the man predicted this very thing years ago in his HBO Broadway special, Black on Broadway, as well as a hilarious and wry look at the history of this admonition, as well as it's possible origin.
Take 10 minutes, sit back and prepare to laugh.
Turns out, drinking more water not only does not improve skin tone or reduce appetite, but actually can even be harmful, possibly causing kidney damage. The irony of this to me is not that yet another accepted truism has fallen by the wayside, but more that this was forecast by the most unlikely of prognosticators, Lewis Black. He of the waggling finger, and apoplectic screaming fits, the man predicted this very thing years ago in his HBO Broadway special, Black on Broadway, as well as a hilarious and wry look at the history of this admonition, as well as it's possible origin.
Take 10 minutes, sit back and prepare to laugh.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
YouTube Drives Business
A great article from Internet Retailer on the effect of a single YouTube video on the fortunes of a niche DVD seller. The "12 Days Of Christmas" video, sung by the amazing a capella group, Indiana University's Straight No Chaser, has been such a YouTube hit that the sole distributor of the DVD went from selling 100 copies a year of a single title, to an amazing 5,300.
Best of all, the popularity has convinced the 1998 graduates featured in the video to reunite for a follow up performance! Here's to the power of the Internet!
The original performance, in all it's glory:
Best of all, the popularity has convinced the 1998 graduates featured in the video to reunite for a follow up performance! Here's to the power of the Internet!
The original performance, in all it's glory:
Saturday, June 30, 2007
iPhone: first impressions
In case you had not heard, the folks who camped out for days to get their hands on the new iPhone sort of wasted their time: unlike the Nintendo Wii, Apple was prepared for the demand. So much so, that today, I wandered over to the Apple store, where I was easily able to get my hands on an actual iPhone to play with (along with dozens of other people).
The good:
OK, enough gushing. Let's talk about the bad.
There's far more, but check out this accurate rant from another user:
1. Bluetooth is ONLY good for connecting a headset. That's it.
2. There is no file browser on the device at all. Data must be organized (if at all) in the appropriate application.
3. The camera is a simple application that has ONE button: the shutter. Pictures come out okay on the device, but nothing too fancy on a monitor, especially if it was an attempt at a macro shot.
4. SIM card is damn near impossible to open, if at all. I didn't look into it extensively.
5. Web browser is slow, even over WLAN. Even the simple OneList web app that was created takes around 20 seconds to load over WLAN. You can not highlight, cut, copy, or paste and text from a website, and you can not save any images you find from a website either. The only nice thing about it is the tabbed browsing, which crashed on me when I went to Engadget and YouTube on two tabs. This is the only application that allows you to use the keyboard in landscape mode.
6. The keyboard sucks. It gets slightly better after the iPhone "learns" you, as the employees said, but even then, it's not a device you can use with one hand comfortably, much less without looking.
7. You can only send one picture at a time in an email.
8. No custom ringtones (yet, as we were being told) and the alert tones can not be changed whatsoever.
9. The default ringtones are incredibly lame.
10. The only form of customization outside of a lame default ringtone is the wallpaper, which you'll only see when you need to unlock the device or when you get a phone call.
11. "Picture pinching" or using two fingers to zoom on any content is certainly fun to play with, but not practical whatsoever. This operation depends solely on using the device with two hands.
12. No document editor or native viewer. You can not store documents on the device to be viewed, they can only be viewed as attachments when they're sent to your in an email.
13. Visual voicemail is laggy and reacts about the same way as pushing the fast forward and rewind buttons on traditional voicemail systems. The only advantage is for those that get that many voicemail messages a day that they need to sort them according to priority.
14. NO games. None.
15. No voice dialing.
16. No speed dialing (which can be made up by the "quick list", but getting to that quick list isn't as fast as holding a single key on a real keypad).
17. No video (capture).
18. No MMS.
19. It's still <4GB for $500 and <8GB for $600
20. It only takes around 2 hours to explore every menu without any options for expandability except to scrounge around for new web apps that will load slowly and nowhere near as smoothly as the native apps.
The Apple Store I was at sold out of the 8GB versions by 2pm again, but the 4GBs were still available. And they said they expected more in tomorrow. So, I don't expect this to be a rarity. What I think I'll be doing is waiting to see what happens with three things: addressing the email/keyboard issues; looking at expansion to 3rd party apps and widgets; and definitely finding out how the synchronization with Outlook goes, as that's my life right now.
Still, definitely a game-changer, and a whole new class of device, but right now, the price keeps me away for the tradeoffs I mentioned. As the late-30's mother next to me breathed, nearly orgasmically, "I so need this," I would suggest you try for yourself, and make your own conclusions.
In case you had not heard, the folks who camped out for days to get their hands on the new iPhone sort of wasted their time: unlike the Nintendo Wii, Apple was prepared for the demand. So much so, that today, I wandered over to the Apple store, where I was easily able to get my hands on an actual iPhone to play with (along with dozens of other people).The good:
- This thing is the ultimate of small and large. The body is incredibly slim and the size is extremely small, smaller than my Treo, or even my old Palm TX. The screen is startlingly large, especially for movies. There is no obvious bezel, so this baby is all screen.
- The UI is amazing. The perfect Apple UI, it's sexy, responsive, and unbelievably cool. Transitions, scrolling, fonts: this device just screams craftsmanship.
- The phone is extremely great. Call quality is excellent, UI is superb, and address book integration is stunning. And that's not even mentioning the elegant touch of blanking the screen when you hold it to your face while calling.
- The screen cannot be believed. Bright, vibrant, and everything practically pops. with no reflections. Images are perfect, movies and Cover Flow ache to be savored.
- Just incredible UI touches. The dropping of the pins on Google Maps, the speed sensitive flicking of your finger in Cover Flow, the intuitive interface. Magnificent.
- LOVE the widgets. Yahoo Weather is unbelievably sexy, though strangely you can't reorder the cities you are looking at, just delete or add. Stocks was very cool. And Google Maps was delicious. Even Notes were DAMN cool, with a miniature yellow legal pad and sketch like font.
OK, enough gushing. Let's talk about the bad.- The keyboard is as bad as the Newton's handwriting recognition was when it first hit. Yes, the iPhone tries to automatically correct your typing issues, and does an OK job, but this is clearly a device that can only be typed on with a single finger; two thumbs are out. The sensitivity of the keyboard is wonky, and it only takes advantage of the optional horizontal orientation when in web browsing mode; what a mistake. I can see Doonesbury cartoons making fun of this anytime now.
- Web browsing is slow, even on WiFi. This surprised me, as we're talking about Safari on a closed OS X environment. Why so slow? There are no other apps to slow it down? In contrast, the YouTube app was extremely slick and responsive. I was pleasantly surprised to see NetVibes load smoothly with no issues, but signing in was a strange experience on navigation controls that were hidden under translucent menus.
- Email was a pain. Sure, reading was actually cool and sexy (especially loved the inline photos, etc.), but writing only was good if you were replying or emailign someone in your address book. Typing the address in the To field was an exercise in frustration (see the keyboard issues).
- Orientation changing sometimes worked. Worked great in iPod mode for music, but video stayed stubbornly widescreen. Not that I'm complaining, but still... And the orientation change only works for some apps, not all.
- What the heck is up with Bluetooth? Bad enough they shipped a multimedia device without Bluetooth 2.0 (2.0 lets you stream audio to headphones wirelessly), but there seemed to be no obvious way to set the iPhone's Bluetooth name. Normally, not a huge problem, but in an ever increasing Bluetooth world, you better know what you are pairing with!
There's far more, but check out this accurate rant from another user:
1. Bluetooth is ONLY good for connecting a headset. That's it.
2. There is no file browser on the device at all. Data must be organized (if at all) in the appropriate application.
3. The camera is a simple application that has ONE button: the shutter. Pictures come out okay on the device, but nothing too fancy on a monitor, especially if it was an attempt at a macro shot.
4. SIM card is damn near impossible to open, if at all. I didn't look into it extensively.
5. Web browser is slow, even over WLAN. Even the simple OneList web app that was created takes around 20 seconds to load over WLAN. You can not highlight, cut, copy, or paste and text from a website, and you can not save any images you find from a website either. The only nice thing about it is the tabbed browsing, which crashed on me when I went to Engadget and YouTube on two tabs. This is the only application that allows you to use the keyboard in landscape mode.
6. The keyboard sucks. It gets slightly better after the iPhone "learns" you, as the employees said, but even then, it's not a device you can use with one hand comfortably, much less without looking.
7. You can only send one picture at a time in an email.
8. No custom ringtones (yet, as we were being told) and the alert tones can not be changed whatsoever.
9. The default ringtones are incredibly lame.
10. The only form of customization outside of a lame default ringtone is the wallpaper, which you'll only see when you need to unlock the device or when you get a phone call.
11. "Picture pinching" or using two fingers to zoom on any content is certainly fun to play with, but not practical whatsoever. This operation depends solely on using the device with two hands.
12. No document editor or native viewer. You can not store documents on the device to be viewed, they can only be viewed as attachments when they're sent to your in an email.
13. Visual voicemail is laggy and reacts about the same way as pushing the fast forward and rewind buttons on traditional voicemail systems. The only advantage is for those that get that many voicemail messages a day that they need to sort them according to priority.
14. NO games. None.
15. No voice dialing.
16. No speed dialing (which can be made up by the "quick list", but getting to that quick list isn't as fast as holding a single key on a real keypad).
17. No video (capture).
18. No MMS.
19. It's still <4GB for $500 and <8GB for $600
20. It only takes around 2 hours to explore every menu without any options for expandability except to scrounge around for new web apps that will load slowly and nowhere near as smoothly as the native apps.
The Apple Store I was at sold out of the 8GB versions by 2pm again, but the 4GBs were still available. And they said they expected more in tomorrow. So, I don't expect this to be a rarity. What I think I'll be doing is waiting to see what happens with three things: addressing the email/keyboard issues; looking at expansion to 3rd party apps and widgets; and definitely finding out how the synchronization with Outlook goes, as that's my life right now.
Still, definitely a game-changer, and a whole new class of device, but right now, the price keeps me away for the tradeoffs I mentioned. As the late-30's mother next to me breathed, nearly orgasmically, "I so need this," I would suggest you try for yourself, and make your own conclusions.
Labels: Apple, cell phones, Google Maps, iPhone, Palm, widgets, youtube
Friday, June 08, 2007
The Cult of Dunkin' Donuts
I'm sitting in a crappy Long Island hotel, nearly 2am, with the dual effects of steamy summer fog clinging to me as only the East Coast has to offer, trying to catch up on work. Yes, this is the joy of business travel. But, although nearly every factor should leave me aggravated, tired, and cranky, I'm suspiciously happy. Why? Two words:
Dunkin' Donuts.
Yep, I'm back among the land of the worst coffee and exceptional pastries. The world where a lahge regulah means something, and a chocolate donut is not a dry cakey pastry, but a wonder to be slowly, orgasmically consumed. I'm not alone; seems there is an entire sub-culture of DD fans out there, and most, like me, were raised in Boston. Having been a San Francisco resident for over a decade, I do not miss much about the other Bay State, but Dunkin' Donuts is still a major loss (there's not a single one in Northern CA).
By the way, two Boston area icons helped me realize this tonight. First, the link above comes from the venerable Bill Simmons' column of random thinking. And if you're looking for a funnier take on it, check out Denis Leary's "coffee-flavored coffee" rant below.
Ah, that tastes good.
Dunkin' Donuts.Yep, I'm back among the land of the worst coffee and exceptional pastries. The world where a lahge regulah means something, and a chocolate donut is not a dry cakey pastry, but a wonder to be slowly, orgasmically consumed. I'm not alone; seems there is an entire sub-culture of DD fans out there, and most, like me, were raised in Boston. Having been a San Francisco resident for over a decade, I do not miss much about the other Bay State, but Dunkin' Donuts is still a major loss (there's not a single one in Northern CA).
By the way, two Boston area icons helped me realize this tonight. First, the link above comes from the venerable Bill Simmons' column of random thinking. And if you're looking for a funnier take on it, check out Denis Leary's "coffee-flavored coffee" rant below.
Ah, that tastes good.
Labels: Bill Simmons, coffee, travel, youtube
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Mamet and Tourette's
Do you know who David Mamet is? If you said no, stop reading this, and head straight for your Netflix account. Add Glengarry Glen Ross, State & Main, and The Spanish Prisoner to the top of your queue, right now. Watch. Come back here, after, and we'll resume.
For those of you who are already enlightened to the miracle that is Mamet, you may not be aware that he has a series on television: The Unit. Crackling with a blend of Mamet dialogue, and a "Delta Force meets Desperate Housewives" feel, it's a must watch for the true aficionado. His episodes of The Shield were intense, and he keeps the energy going here (along with employment of his wife, Rebecca Pidgeon).
One thing about Mamet: he never shirks from language. American Bison set the tone, and it reached it's zenith with Glengarry Glen Ross. In fact, one clever director recut a new trailer for GGR, with this in mind. Note: this is NOT safe for work (language) and should probably only be played with headphones. For the Mamet fan, however, this clever parody remix of GGR is not to be missed.
For those of you who are already enlightened to the miracle that is Mamet, you may not be aware that he has a series on television: The Unit. Crackling with a blend of Mamet dialogue, and a "Delta Force meets Desperate Housewives" feel, it's a must watch for the true aficionado. His episodes of The Shield were intense, and he keeps the energy going here (along with employment of his wife, Rebecca Pidgeon).
One thing about Mamet: he never shirks from language. American Bison set the tone, and it reached it's zenith with Glengarry Glen Ross. In fact, one clever director recut a new trailer for GGR, with this in mind. Note: this is NOT safe for work (language) and should probably only be played with headphones. For the Mamet fan, however, this clever parody remix of GGR is not to be missed.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Speaking of Apple and Superbowl weekend...
While this year's Superbowl is not a major attraction for me (Colts vs. Bears? Yawn.), I am looking forward to the commercials. The buzz is that Apple has a special commercial planned this year, possibly Beatles-related, so that's will be the Easter egg I'm hunting for.
These commercials have become amazing, in their technical detail, their story, and their originality. For instance, I give you Michael Jordan, king of the commercial/sports pitchmen. Already a legend in basketball, sports, clothes, and commercials ("Gotta be the shoes" "Nothing but net"), Gatorade produced this stunning Superbowl commercial for his last major appearance, entitled simply 23 vs. 29:
Some commercials have used famous directors, of course, but never made it to the screen, even for the Superbowl. Take this absolutely brilliant Spike Jonze-directed Gap masterpiece:
However, this year's hype king is also the master of the Superbowl commercial. Let's not forget: it was Apple who brought the idea of the Superbowl commercial to the mainstream as a pop-culture icon, with the original, Ridley Scott's 1984. I leave you with the iconic genius of pop culture it is:
These commercials have become amazing, in their technical detail, their story, and their originality. For instance, I give you Michael Jordan, king of the commercial/sports pitchmen. Already a legend in basketball, sports, clothes, and commercials ("Gotta be the shoes" "Nothing but net"), Gatorade produced this stunning Superbowl commercial for his last major appearance, entitled simply 23 vs. 29:
Some commercials have used famous directors, of course, but never made it to the screen, even for the Superbowl. Take this absolutely brilliant Spike Jonze-directed Gap masterpiece:
However, this year's hype king is also the master of the Superbowl commercial. Let's not forget: it was Apple who brought the idea of the Superbowl commercial to the mainstream as a pop-culture icon, with the original, Ridley Scott's 1984. I leave you with the iconic genius of pop culture it is:
Saturday, January 13, 2007
$1 Million says there are no psychics
It was 1981. That's Incredible ruled the TV landscape. On came a man who could move the pages of a phone book with his mind, complete with yoga suit. "That's incredible!" Fran Tarkenton cried out.
Then, from backstage, out walked a man who looked like a cross between Santa Claus and a professor. He was introduced as James Randi, a professional debunker. He went by his stage name of "The Amazing Randi," and claimed he could duplicate any so-called psychic tricks with standard cons used by magicians. Even more, he said he could smoke out these people as charlatans, and proceeded to do so, live, to the "psychic". I would never take things at face value again.
Over 20 years later, and I am still a skeptic, thanks to James Randi. And so is he: he is offering $1 Million to the high profile Psychics to just agree to be tested for their feats scientifically. He's spent years offering the prize to anyone, but the kooks come out. Now, let's see John Edwards or the like explain why they won't pick up a $ 1 million check.
Keep the strength up, Randi.
Then, from backstage, out walked a man who looked like a cross between Santa Claus and a professor. He was introduced as James Randi, a professional debunker. He went by his stage name of "The Amazing Randi," and claimed he could duplicate any so-called psychic tricks with standard cons used by magicians. Even more, he said he could smoke out these people as charlatans, and proceeded to do so, live, to the "psychic". I would never take things at face value again.
Over 20 years later, and I am still a skeptic, thanks to James Randi. And so is he: he is offering $1 Million to the high profile Psychics to just agree to be tested for their feats scientifically. He's spent years offering the prize to anyone, but the kooks come out. Now, let's see John Edwards or the like explain why they won't pick up a $ 1 million check.Keep the strength up, Randi.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Kodak Gets It
Kodak, the venerable institution of Americana, clearly is in a state of transition. With both savvy acquisitions and organic growth in the digital space, they have carefully moved into a position where they are on the cusp of being the fastest growing digital imaging company in the world...again.
But, despite that, that's not what I am posting about tonight. As a company, as a culture, they have definitely understood the world is changing, and want all of their employees to understand they GET IT. This video, originally produced for internal use, is absolutely the best example of how a large company, steeped in tradition, can inspire the energy, the passion, and the fun of the changing world they live in:
Now, tell me THAT is not a company you would love to work for! A company that can poke fun at itself while paying homage to their legacy, and showing a whole new side...MAN. Remember, this was for internal use: they used this to show the vast, longtime employees of Kodak that not only do they have nothing to fear, but that this is one of the most exciting times to be in their space, and this is one of the companies poised to rule it.
Bravo, Kodak: this irreverence combined with passion is what every company needs to have. To paraphrase the Engadget article on this, let's see what happens next!
But, despite that, that's not what I am posting about tonight. As a company, as a culture, they have definitely understood the world is changing, and want all of their employees to understand they GET IT. This video, originally produced for internal use, is absolutely the best example of how a large company, steeped in tradition, can inspire the energy, the passion, and the fun of the changing world they live in:
Now, tell me THAT is not a company you would love to work for! A company that can poke fun at itself while paying homage to their legacy, and showing a whole new side...MAN. Remember, this was for internal use: they used this to show the vast, longtime employees of Kodak that not only do they have nothing to fear, but that this is one of the most exciting times to be in their space, and this is one of the companies poised to rule it.
Bravo, Kodak: this irreverence combined with passion is what every company needs to have. To paraphrase the Engadget article on this, let's see what happens next!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Great song, BAD new media marketing
I've only recently started to discover some music and artists that are not from before 1990. :-) One of them is Pink, an evolution of Joan Jett, one of my all time favorites. She's got a tough, rough approach that just exudes energy. As NBC launched their inaugural season of Sunday Night Football, they tapped Pink to do a cover of Jett's "I Hate Myself For Loving You" for the opening of the show, called "Waiting All Day For Sunday Night." Check out the clip from the season opener:
Catchy, right? She's the modern approach to Hank Williams Jr.'s Monday Night Football montage. In fact, it's a hell of a lot better. Now, here's where it went wrong. It's 2006 (almost 2007): music and ringtones are ubiquitous. Can I buy a clip of this for my MP3 player? No. Ringtone? Uh-uh. How about as a single? Nope.
In fact, the ONLY place I can even hear the song is on this YouTube clip. What kind of marketers are these? Put it up on iTunes! Hell, it doesn't cost you anything, and it's not like the song doesn't already get airplay: Sunday Night Football is one of the highest rated telecasts, ever. Think it won't sell? How many people search iTunes? If they type in "football," and this comes up, laws of averages say you just made money if only 1% buy the track.
It's 2006, and I can't buy it, steal it, or even get it. My only hope is to try to record it and rip it from the recording. C'mon: Pink, you're young enough and hip enough to know better here. And NBC: you are a MEDIA company, for f*ck's sake! What were you thinking?
I may be waiting all day for Sunday night, but I'm stuck waiting forever for Pink's great theme as an MP3.
UPDATE 12/28: Well, after a night of searching and extensive use of Ask.com and Google, I finally found a cached link of a page in Brazil, of all places, that had a link to a German site with the holy grail: 1:35 of clear, quality MP3 of Pink's anthem. An international multi-country jaunt just to get one damn song. Welcome to the world of "we just don't get it."
Catchy, right? She's the modern approach to Hank Williams Jr.'s Monday Night Football montage. In fact, it's a hell of a lot better. Now, here's where it went wrong. It's 2006 (almost 2007): music and ringtones are ubiquitous. Can I buy a clip of this for my MP3 player? No. Ringtone? Uh-uh. How about as a single? Nope.
In fact, the ONLY place I can even hear the song is on this YouTube clip. What kind of marketers are these? Put it up on iTunes! Hell, it doesn't cost you anything, and it's not like the song doesn't already get airplay: Sunday Night Football is one of the highest rated telecasts, ever. Think it won't sell? How many people search iTunes? If they type in "football," and this comes up, laws of averages say you just made money if only 1% buy the track.
It's 2006, and I can't buy it, steal it, or even get it. My only hope is to try to record it and rip it from the recording. C'mon: Pink, you're young enough and hip enough to know better here. And NBC: you are a MEDIA company, for f*ck's sake! What were you thinking?
I may be waiting all day for Sunday night, but I'm stuck waiting forever for Pink's great theme as an MP3.
UPDATE 12/28: Well, after a night of searching and extensive use of Ask.com and Google, I finally found a cached link of a page in Brazil, of all places, that had a link to a German site with the holy grail: 1:35 of clear, quality MP3 of Pink's anthem. An international multi-country jaunt just to get one damn song. Welcome to the world of "we just don't get it."
Saturday, December 23, 2006
MUCH more than meets the eye
I mentioned about the new Transformers movie that will be Michael Bay's latest summer blockbuster attempt. Well, the new trailer has hit the web, and I have to say, what started as a laughable idea is looking pretty cool. Judge for yourself:
Of course, it has the signature Michael Bay I-can't-keep-the-camera-still-for-one-moment style, but the effects look terrific. I'm actually looking forward to this!
Of course, it has the signature Michael Bay I-can't-keep-the-camera-still-for-one-moment style, but the effects look terrific. I'm actually looking forward to this!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
The First Amendment in Action
From the "I can't believe these concepts ever get put together" files, I present to you an excellent example of the First Amendment in action...courtesy of Danny Bonaduce. Yes, you read that right: the child star of the 1970's turned shock jock of the 80's and all around reality star of the 90's shows how you can absolutely have a cogent argument.
I'll say this: I disagree with what he is saying, but he handles the intrusion into his private time with class, politeness, and directness. He makes his case, and when he can stomach no more, he lets loose. Watch for the part where, before he decides to tell this conspiracy theorist what he really thinks, he first turns to a fellow diner to apologize in advance for his language.
Danny Bonaduce, 9/11, Free Speech, and YouTube. Man, the internet is a wonderful thing.
I'll say this: I disagree with what he is saying, but he handles the intrusion into his private time with class, politeness, and directness. He makes his case, and when he can stomach no more, he lets loose. Watch for the part where, before he decides to tell this conspiracy theorist what he really thinks, he first turns to a fellow diner to apologize in advance for his language.
Danny Bonaduce, 9/11, Free Speech, and YouTube. Man, the internet is a wonderful thing.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Wiidom
'Tis the holiday season, and the video game console wars are in full swing. Last year, Microsoft made a savvy move and released the XBox 360, the next-generation platform. There were no other new consoles out, so the Market was theirs. And, as it takes about a year for software to start taking advantage of the new hardware, this holiday their game Gears Of War is set to be a smash.
And in this corner...weighing in a 600 lbs., the Champion, the Monster, the Overpriced Sensation...Sony's PlayStation 3. Yes, inspiring fanboys to riot at the short supply and spend thousands on eBay (of over $700, if you wait for it to actually be in stock next year), the new PS3 is the sound of Sony going All In for their claim to the #1 console. Packed to the gills with every gadget and technology possible, it is clearly the most advanced console...and possibly too advanced. At $600 to start, only the elite will want it.
The surprise? The Nintendo Wii. Under $300, it does not blaze new graphics power or incredible games. Instead, it's a modest console with innovative controls, meant for a more interactive play style. Motion controlled remotes, instead of complicated joypads, open up a new world of possibility. Tennis? Swing your virtual racket. Fishing? Cast away. The interesting moment was watching Amy as she watched a demo of Bowling and was clearly excited: this is clearly Nintendo's strategy, to go after non-game players. For me, who really only plays consoles for Madden, it looks interesting, especially after today's highest rating of Madden on any platform, on the Wii. I guess there's only one one way this ends:
Wii'll see. :-)
Want to see what all the fuss is about? Nintendo made this great intro video to explain and show. Fun!
'Tis the holiday season, and the video game console wars are in full swing. Last year, Microsoft made a savvy move and released the XBox 360, the next-generation platform. There were no other new consoles out, so the Market was theirs. And, as it takes about a year for software to start taking advantage of the new hardware, this holiday their game Gears Of War is set to be a smash.And in this corner...weighing in a 600 lbs., the Champion, the Monster, the Overpriced Sensation...Sony's PlayStation 3. Yes, inspiring fanboys to riot at the short supply and spend thousands on eBay (of over $700, if you wait for it to actually be in stock next year), the new PS3 is the sound of Sony going All In for their claim to the #1 console. Packed to the gills with every gadget and technology possible, it is clearly the most advanced console...and possibly too advanced. At $600 to start, only the elite will want it.
The surprise? The Nintendo Wii. Under $300, it does not blaze new graphics power or incredible games. Instead, it's a modest console with innovative controls, meant for a more interactive play style. Motion controlled remotes, instead of complicated joypads, open up a new world of possibility. Tennis? Swing your virtual racket. Fishing? Cast away. The interesting moment was watching Amy as she watched a demo of Bowling and was clearly excited: this is clearly Nintendo's strategy, to go after non-game players. For me, who really only plays consoles for Madden, it looks interesting, especially after today's highest rating of Madden on any platform, on the Wii. I guess there's only one one way this ends:
Wii'll see. :-)
Want to see what all the fuss is about? Nintendo made this great intro video to explain and show. Fun!
Labels: Madden, Video Games, youtube
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Flashback: Band-Aid
The holidays are coming, and you know what that means? Endless repetition of Christmas songs in the stores and on the streets. One of the "classics" is Band-Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Right out of the "it could only be the 1980's," this was a seminal moment that, 20 years later, is still trying to be imitated. Thanks to YouTube, you can relive the horror/amazement all over again. Bill Simmons says it best:
"For some reason, I hadn't seen the video in ages and forgot the lineup of singers other than Bono (who has the headscratching, "Well, tonight thank God it's them, instead of you!" line that I've never been able to figure out). In the video, that line works even better because it follows the duet with Simon LeBon and Sting, and suddenly there's a young Bono standing behind them and wearing Uncle Jessie's haircut from "Full House" ... and the three of them share one mike as Bono belts his weird line out. Even stranger, Sting never gets his own line -- he's just singing background for everyone else, which was insane because he was the biggest star there.
"Here's what kills me about this video (other than George Michael's haircut): Not only does Paul Young bat leadoff, they go back to him for another solo in the middle! Paul Young! They had the lead singer of the hottest band at the time (Duran Duran's LeBon), the best singer of the entire decade (Sting) and a budding superstar (Bono) ... and they kicked things off with Paul Young? Who was in charge of Band Aid, Bob Geldof or Jimy Williams? I was trying to think of a sports equivalent of this -- like John Starks getting named to the '92 Dream Team, then starting over MJ and Drexler -- but it's impossible. It's too ludicrous. You can't come up with the sports equivalent of Paul Young getting the nod over Bono, Sting and Simon LeBon. I watched this clip 10 times in two weeks and still couldn't figure it out. And you wonder what I do all day."
Enjoy!
"For some reason, I hadn't seen the video in ages and forgot the lineup of singers other than Bono (who has the headscratching, "Well, tonight thank God it's them, instead of you!" line that I've never been able to figure out). In the video, that line works even better because it follows the duet with Simon LeBon and Sting, and suddenly there's a young Bono standing behind them and wearing Uncle Jessie's haircut from "Full House" ... and the three of them share one mike as Bono belts his weird line out. Even stranger, Sting never gets his own line -- he's just singing background for everyone else, which was insane because he was the biggest star there.
"Here's what kills me about this video (other than George Michael's haircut): Not only does Paul Young bat leadoff, they go back to him for another solo in the middle! Paul Young! They had the lead singer of the hottest band at the time (Duran Duran's LeBon), the best singer of the entire decade (Sting) and a budding superstar (Bono) ... and they kicked things off with Paul Young? Who was in charge of Band Aid, Bob Geldof or Jimy Williams? I was trying to think of a sports equivalent of this -- like John Starks getting named to the '92 Dream Team, then starting over MJ and Drexler -- but it's impossible. It's too ludicrous. You can't come up with the sports equivalent of Paul Young getting the nod over Bono, Sting and Simon LeBon. I watched this clip 10 times in two weeks and still couldn't figure it out. And you wonder what I do all day."
Enjoy!
